I was worried that I might have made him angry, but I pretended not to notice and quickly continued.

“Ae-hyung lied about being pregnant before marriage and got caught, causing conflict with her in-laws. And Eun-hee completes her transformation and slowly starts her revenge. The real ‘Temptation of Wife’ is just beginning now.”

He suddenly opened his eyes and poured himself a glass of white wine before drinking it.

Since Charte had mostly kept his eyes closed during the story, his new action encouraged Yun-ah to continue enthusiastically.

“Eun-hee appears at the party Gyo-min attends, captivating everyone’s attention by dancing in a seductive dress. When Gyo-min sees Eun-hee dancing, he’s terrified because she looks exactly like the wife he killed, and he runs away.”

Yun-ah was thirsty and was about to pour herself a glass of white wine when—

“Wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t drink, Empress?”

“What?”

“I’ve repeatedly told you that you only have one life……”

‘Wow, he really knows how to hold a grudge! Fine, I won’t drink! I won’t!’

Despite her inner fury, Yun-ah put down the wine glass with a solemn face and picked up her water glass instead.

“But Eun-hee doesn’t give up. She shows off all the talents she learned through her Spartan training, thoroughly seducing Gyo-min with her glamorous and daring tactics until he completely falls for her.”

Curious about what Charte was thinking as he sat there with his consistently expressionless face, Yun-ah gathered her courage.

“It’s a bit hard to understand, right? That he couldn’t recognize her just because she put a mole on her face.”

After looking at her as if he truly couldn’t understand, Charte finally parted his lips heavily.

“What were you thinking when you said that?”

“Pardon?”

“Eun-hee didn’t just add a mole. She learned languages and dancing, and even conquered her extreme fear to learn swimming. Don’t you think she put in tremendous effort to transform herself?”

His words were so accurate that Yun-ah found herself nodding automatically.

She looked at Charte with a slightly touched expression, different from before.

‘I never expected him to listen so attentively.’

Charte was clearly understanding Eun-hee better than anyone and was fully immersed in the story.

Yun-ah felt a strange sensation she couldn’t quite explain.

When the drama aired, many people criticized how unrealistic it was that he couldn’t recognize her just because of a mole, but almost no one acknowledged Eun-hee’s efforts.

Yet somehow… this man from another world understood.

Though secretly delighted, Yun-ah didn’t show it and continued her story.

“Gyo-min starts falling for Eun-hee’s tactics, and she strategically leaves evidence for Ae-hyung. When Ae-hyung comes to the beauty salon to confront the woman her husband is seeing, she’s shocked to see Eun-hee’s face and ends up getting slapped with water before leaving.”

For just a fleeting moment, a hint of loneliness crossed Charte’s otherwise expressionless face.

‘Why would he make such an expression while listening to a satisfying revenge story……’

She couldn’t understand the reason at all.

What could have happened to him—an emperor who possessed everything from wealth and glory to the power of life and death?

She was beginning to feel a little curious.

And when he looked at her with a serious expression, Yun-ah’s heart sank, wondering if she had done something wrong again.

* * * 

“By the way, Empress……”

“Yes, Your Majesty……”

His deep, intense teal eyes were looking at me so powerfully that I almost lost myself in them for a moment, when a curious voice reached my ears.

“What does it mean to be ‘slapped with water’?”

“What? Oh.”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

It seemed unlikely that our noble Emperor would have experienced—or even seen—such a thing.

After discussing such serious and frightening topics, the thought of explaining something so amusing suddenly filled me with unexpected enthusiasm.

“It’s when you slap water on someone’s cheek……”

“How do you slap with water? It’s not even a hand. The setting seems too exaggerated for dramatic effect. Your fate won’t change by forcing such things.”

“No, this isn’t something I made up to save myself. If you splash it forcefully… Ugh, this is frustrating. I can’t even demonstrate it.”

“Don’t you know that forced settings actually diminish the story’s entertainment value? Your tricks don’t work on me.”

Frustrated, I beat my chest, and his deep teal eyes sharpened as he looked at me.

To think he didn’t know about water slaps¹(물 싸대기) used metaphorically to describe a sudden, shocking, or humiliating act, like throwing water in someone’s face; or in dramas or emotional scenes, it can refer to an intense, dramatic confrontation, a basic move for Korean drama villains…….

And it was disheartening that someone who held my precious lifeline had such a limited imagination.

I felt hopeless about how I would explain upgraded versions like kimchi slaps, green onion slaps, or kimbap slaps.

My future looked truly bleak.

Plus, his annoying comments about it being “exaggerated” and “forced” irritated me, so I glared back at him, refusing to back down.

“This is really possible! Someone who should be most open-minded for empathy and communication is so narrow-minded!”

Seeing his expression crumple at my words, I momentarily felt scared but pretended not to notice and casually averted my gaze.

“Then let’s try it.”

“What?”

“I said, try it yourself. It wouldn’t be bad to determine whether you’re right or if it’s just a forced, sensational setting.”

What is he saying? Is this a “My boss has gone crazy” kind of situation?

I wanted to ask “Are you insane, sir?” but I couldn’t.

I had enough sense not to. I understood the fear of someone who held my life in their hands…….

Looking at him with respectful eyes, I said,

“R-really?”

“Have you ever seen me make empty promises? I’m not like the empress who creates preposterous stories.”

What? Preposterous? I really want to give him a water slap. I desperately want to, but would I survive after doing it?

Humans can’t always do everything they want.

But I still want to do it. Wait, could this be some kind of trap? I grew suspicious.

“Your Majesty, I have one request.”

“What request?”

“This water slap is something I’m doing reluctantly because you ordered it, not because I actually want to do it. But since I can’t survive if you doubt me, I want to clarify that I’m purely following Your Majesty’s orders.”

“Very well. This is my order. Now, go ahead and do it.”

His handsome face was full of arrogance and composure.

Looking at that face, I could barely contain my laughter.

For the first time since coming here, I felt genuinely happy.

To properly execute the slap, I started warming up, articulating from my wrist to my fingers.

“Are you nervous? I promise not to punish you even if this goes wrong.”

“Thank you! I will do my best to fulfill Your Majesty’s command!”

As I composed myself, I could see his very confident face.

I filled a cup with water and picked it up.

Then I revealed the vicious look I had been hiding.

“Why are you making such eyes, Empress?”

“When delivering a water slap, making eyes like this is the proper acting technique. Since this is Your Majesty’s first command, I want to do my absolute best, even with the smallest details.”

When he nodded in agreement, I used all my strength to deliver the water slap, followed by the clear, refreshing sound of water hitting his cheek.

For about 10 seconds afterward, only tense silence filled the air.

“……”

Gasp! Did I do it too hard? Suddenly frightened, I quickly checked his expression and mood.

His naturally innocent-looking hair was now wet and disheveled, and water was dripping from his handsome face.

His face transitioned from bewilderment to anger.

I could feel him desperately trying to suppress his fury.

Alarmed by his ominous expression, I hastily grabbed a handkerchief and approached to wipe his face.

Just as the handkerchief was about to touch his face, he instinctively blocked my hand.

What’s this? Did he flinch a little?

Did he think I was going to deliver a handkerchief slap this time?

After reading his reaction, I cautiously opened my mouth.

“Your Majesty…… You’re not upset, are you? I had no choice because of Your Majesty’s order……”

“Ab. So. Lute. Ly. Not. Em. Press.”

Why are you answering with gritted teeth like that!

And why am I feeling so good about this!

“I apologize, Your Majesty. Even if it’s Your Majesty’s order, I won’t do it……”

“No. Don’t apologize. It was my order! You merely did what you were told. And very thoroughly at that!”

“I cannot begin to fathom Your Majesty’s deep generosity.”

“But Empress.”

“Yes?”

“That’s enough for tonight!”

“What?”

“I must go.”

As he hurriedly headed for the door, I called after him.

“Your Majesty, does this mean I remain empress this week too?”

He simply nodded without turning around and left.

“Yay! So exciting! I’m so excited! I’m going crazy with excitement!”

I climbed onto the bed, jumping up and down, throwing cushions, and making a scene.

After about 30 minutes of chaos, dawn broke, and Madam Peggy entered.

“Good morning, Empress.”

“Good morning, Madam Peggy.”

“You seem in particularly good spirits today.”

“Of course~ I’m feeling absolutely wonderful! I’m dying from happiness! I had a truly happy moment for once.”

As I answered with a bright smile, Madam Peggy turned her gaze away with an embarrassed expression.

What’s wrong now, Madam? Why are you embarrassed when I’m in a good mood?

“My body feels stiff.”

“I’ll prepare the bath right away.”

Soaking in the bathtub provided relief from fatigue and gave her a refreshing feeling.

Was it because of the relief of surviving another day?

Busy trying to survive day by day as empress, she suddenly remembered herself—Jo Yun-ah—whom she had almost forgotten.

Who was she now, and what was she living for?

Was she Leila Whyman? Or Jo Yun-ah?

Suddenly, she wondered if Eun-hee had been happy as Song-hee.

Had she lived as Eun-hee? Or as Song-hee?

Of course, Eun-hee changed by choice, unlike her who changed without knowing why, but she thought they might have experienced similar identity confusion.

Just as she now felt confused somewhere between being Leila and Yun-ah, Eun-hee must have felt very troubled and confused somewhere between Eun-hee and Song-hee.

As someone who was Yun-ah but living as Leila, she felt she could understand the woman who was Eun-hee but had lived as Song-hee.